Game



Nov. 29, 1938. H. T. HIPWELL 2,138,764

GAME

Filed Feb. 25, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

H T. HIPWELLI Nov. 29, 1938.

GAME

' Filed Feb. 25, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR. 7 B Y W 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Wolverine Supply and Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 25, 1938, Serial No. 192,475

7 Claims.

This invention relates generally to games and more particularly to a novel game of skill wherein a missile is directed and then hurled to pockets having designated values indicating the score of the player.

The principal object of this invention is the provision of a game apparatus which may be played by any number of participants and which provides fascinating entertainment as it induces the spirit of competition because of the skill in play required of the participants.

Another object is the provision of a game that may be readily understood and properly played by small children in accordance with the instructions given therewith.

Another object is the provision. of apparatus for a game which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Another object is the provision of means for retrieving the missiles after play.

Another object is the provision of an improved game apparatus that may be easily stored or packed by a simple folding operation.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description.

A practical embodiment of the principles of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a game comprising this invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fi 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the game shown in Fig. 1 in its folded position.

Fig. 4 is a detailed view of the range finding bracket.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a modification of the game shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 66 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the game shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view of a score card for keeping record of the scoring points made in play.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 on the drawings, I0 represents the base of the game apparatus which comprises a rectangularly shaped pan or tray preferably made of sheet metal and having the vertically disposed front wall I l side walls l2 and rear wall 13. The upper edge of these walls is turned over as illustrated at I4 for providing strength to the base member and to avoid the formation of exposed sharp edges. The front wall. I! is short and the side walls l2, which form a continuation thereof, gradually increase in height toward the rear Wall l3 which is. the same height as the side walls where they are connected. The increasing height of the side walls serve a dual purpose. They are highest at the rear of the game where the missiles employed in play have the greatest trajectory and therefore retain them within the playing area of the game. Again the high side walls at the rear of the base provide space for hinging the guard walls l5 of the back board l6 thereto in such a manner that the back board may be swung on its pivotal hinge down over the playing area of the base to retain the missiles and scoring pieces therein when the game is stored away or is being packed for shipment. On the other hand the position of the pivotal hinge is arranged to prevent the back board from being swung underneath the base. This provides an apparatus that is very simple to set up and the manner of setting up the game is subconsciously suggested to a very young child. When the child sees the back board l6 covering a part of the playing area he is curious to see the whole the playing area and upon picking up the back board he swings it into playing position without rea1izing what he has done. This is an important advantage of this invention.

The back board is also preferably made from a single piece of sheet metal. The guard walls H: are strengthened at the bottom by the flange ll. The upper end of the back board is open and the guard walls are preferably rounded off thereto, thus avoiding sharp corners. This construction permits the back board to lay across the playing area of the base without interference.

The back board is hinged to the side walls of the base by means of the rod l8 which passes transversely through these members and is turned over at its extremities as shown at l9 to prevent its removal.

I provide the base with a plurality of pockets arranged to receive playing objects, such as marbles projected thereat. Such pockets are arranged to be lifted so as to release through their open bottoms the objects lodging therein.

Thus, as a preferred structure 2!! represents tapered zigzag strips which are assembled in pairs. with the adjacent apices meeting in surface contact to form a series of pockets 2! there-between. Intermediate pockets 22 are also formed between the pairs of strips adjacent said contacting inner extremities, thereby positioning the pockets in staggered relation with one another.

These strips are preferably made of metal and the foremost extremities 221 of two strips forming a pair are riveted together by means of eyelet type rivets which also provide aligned holes through which the rod 24 may be inserted for holding the pairs of strips together to form a unit. The ends of the rod 24 may also be bent over as illustrated at 25 to prevent the removal thereof. The rod 24 also forms the foremost intermediate pockets 22 with strips of the adjacent pairs.

The other end 26 of each of the zigzag strips 29 extends from the last outer extremity to the rear wall E3 of the base 18, forming the pockets 2? therebetween. The ends 25 of the strips are provided with aligned holes for receiving the rod 18. Spacing tubes 28 are telescoped over the rod l8 between the side walls l2 and the outermost zigzag strips to maintain their alignment within the base it].

29 represents an apron comprising a horizontal portion 3i extending from one side of the base to the other and having depending flanges 3i on the ends thereof provided with aligned holes for receiving the rod l8. Immediately above the center of the pockets 2? the apron 29 is provided with the holes or baskets 22. The perimetral edges defining the holes 32 are flared upwardly. forming the upstanding curved flanges 33 for misdirecting a missile when precipitated thereagainst.

The strips when assembled as a unit form pockets for receiving missiles hurled in the course of play and since they are pivoted to the rod i8 they are in hinged relation with the base i0. The apron is also supported on the rod is in hinged relation and owing to the position of the holes in the depending flanges 3! for receiving the rod it, the foremost edge of the horizontal portion 38 rests on top of the strips 20 producing a forward slope of the apron. Thus by raising the zigzag strip unit on its hinged axis the missiles which were precipitated in the pockets are left on the inclined playing surface of the base id and they may all be retrieved at one time. It is preferable to use marbles or other similar spherical bodies as they are inexpensive, readily obtainable, and will roll down the inclined surface of the base it when the zigzag pocket unit is raised. A spherically shaped missile is also better adapted for being hurled or tossed through the air and is believed to require greater accuracy than a missile having corners.

The missiles may be tossed to the playing area by hand or by other means such as a toy gun. However a catapult 34 is provided for this purpos which comprises a flexible strip member 35 secured to the base 50 by means of the single rivet This member may be made of steel, bronze, fiber or other suitable material. The free end 3? of the flexible strip is used as a hand piece for controlling the operation of the catapult. Inwardly of the hand piece the strip is provided with a hole or socket 38 for receiving the missile. The other end of the strip is pointed, as shown at 38, to act as an indicator to be used in conjunction with the range finding lines printed on the base i 8 and which extend radially from the pivotal axis of the catapult. By swinging the catapult so that the indicator 39 is aligned to a selected degree with the range finding lines, the direction of the trajectory of the missile may be accurately controlled.

4? represents a bracket for supporting the spring strip member 35 and which comprises a flat base portion 65 provided with the hole through which the rivet 36 is arranged to pass for pivotally supporting the strip and the bracket on mu on the base In. The upstanding portion 43 ot the bracket is provided with the upwardly open notch 44 in the top edge thereof. This notch is arranged to receive the body of the strip 35. When the strip and the bracket are riveted to the base l and the body of the strip is sprung, permitting it to be placed in the notch 44, the spring force set up within the strip maintains it in the notch 44. As the strip is swung to different positions the bracket is moved therewith. Thus when the hand piece of the strip is depressed to hurl a missile the fulcrum, which is determined by the bottom of the notch 44, is always at the same height regardless of the angular position of the catapult.

The plate 45 which is integral with and extends rearwardly from the vertical portion 43 of the bracket 40 has lines printed thereon. These lines radiate from a point aligned with the axis of the fulcrum defined by the notch 44. By means of these lines the player may properly gaugethe depression of the spring member 35 and thereby accurately determine the trajectory of the missile.

A bell 45 is mounted on the center line of the back board above the apron 29. The striking of this hell with a missile is a part of the procedure attempted While playing the game.

In playing the game a missile, such as a marble, is placed in the socket 3B and by grasping the hand piece 37 the catapult may be aimed with the aid of the range finger 39 and the trajectory set by depressing the hand piece and gauging the same with the aid of the markings on the plate 45. The player then releases the hand piece and the catapult hurls the missile to the playing area where it precipitates in one of the pockets 2|, 22, or through a basket 32 to one of the pockets 21. The base I0 is marked with numbers representing the score received by the player is his missile lodges in one of the scoring pockets. If the missile falls through one of the baskets 32 the player will receive a higher score, such as 1000. If the missile falls in the outer alleys and rolls to the front of the tray the player may play it over. However, if the player strikes the bell with a missile he thereby halts his play for that turn and must forfeit the missiles not used at that time. The missile upon striking the bell may precipitate in one of the scoring pockets. In such case the player is entitled to the scoring of that missile together with the scoring of the missile previously played. The player also receives a score of 1500 for striking the bell.

If the player strikes the bell with. the last missile that he has in his turn of play he receives 1500 and double the score attained by each missile.

The score is kept by placing dissimilar playing pieces on the small squares of the card shown in Fig. 8 corresponding to the total score attained during each turn of play. The score of each player is easily added from time to time as each square represents the addition of one hundred.

Any number of missiles may be used in the course of play and any number of participants may take part in one game.

If marbles are used, the player notes his score after he has finished his turn. He then raises the strips and the marbles roll down the incline of the base to the front of the tray where the next participant has them at his disposal.

The modified form of this game as illustrated in Figs. to 7 is played substantially the same as trough at the rear thereof.

that just described but the structure is somewhat altered. Thus the base 50 is an open ended tapering trough having outwardly flared side walls. The bottom of the trough is struck up forming the spring strip supporting bracket thereby leaving the hole 52 in the bottom of the trough. The bracket 5| is not provided with a notch but is straight to permit the strip 38 to be adjusted therealong. The catapult spring strip 34 is secured to the base by means of the rivet 36 and has limited pivotal movement owing to the use of a single pair of zigzag strips 20 forming the pockets 2| and 22. The strips 20 are hinged on the rod 53 which passes through the side walls of the The ends of the rod are turned over to prevent its removal.

The back board 54 is provided with a pair of forwardly extending ears 55 having aligned holes for receiving the rod 53. The sides of the upper portion of the back board 54 are cut on an angle equal to the taper of the trough base 50 to permit this portion of the back board to lay over the strips 20 when the game is folded up for shipment or when not in use.

This smaller game apparatus is not provided with a scoring basket or bell. However the pockets formed by the strips 20 are provided with scoring figures in the manner similar to that described above. The course of play of this game may be carried out as set forth above and the marbles may be retrieved by raising the strips 20 as indicated on the drawings, thereby permitting them to roll down the inclined trough and rest against the upturned bracket 5|.

I claim:

1. In game apparatus, the combination with a playing surface, of an upwardly extending wall at the rear end thereof, and a unitary structure defining a plurality of bottomless pockets disposed longitudinally of the surface to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat, said unitary structure being hingedly connected to the base and arranged to be swung upwardly to release the objects, said wall being hinged so as to be folded down over the unitary structure.

2. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface of a back board at one end of the base, a transversely disposed apron in front of the back board, said apron having an aperture therein to receive playing ob jects, such as marbles, projected thereat, and a unitary structure defining a plurality of bottomless pockets extending longitudinally of the base and hingedly connected to the base rear end of the same, said pockets being arranged to receive playing objects directed thereat.

3. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface of a back board at one end of the base, a transversely disposed apron in front of the back board, said apron having an aperture therein to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat, and a unitary structure defining a plurality of bottomless pockets extending longitudinally of the base and hingedly connected to the base rear end of the same, said pockets being arranged to receive playing objects directed thereat, said back board be ing hinged so as to be foldable forwardly over the apron.

4. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface, of a unitary structure comprising a plurality of strips extending longitudinally of the base and of zigzag form to coact to define a plurality of pockets to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat.

5. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface, of a unitary structure comprising a plurality of strips extending longitudinally of the base and of zigzag form to coact to define a plurality of pockets to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat, said unitary structure being hinged at one end to the base to permit the pockets to be lifted to release the playing objects.

6. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface, of a unitary structure comprising a plurality of strips extending longitudinally of the base and of zigzag form to coact to define a plurality of pockets to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat, and a back board hingedly connected to the base and arranged when extended to support the base in an inclined position and when retracted to fold down over the pockets.

'7. In game apparatus, the combination with a base forming the playing surface, of a unitary structure comprising a plurality of strips extending longitudinally of the base and of zigzag form to coact to define a plurality of pockets to receive playing objects, such as marbles, projected thereat, said unitary structure being hinged at one end to the base to permit the pockets to be lifted to release the playing objects, and a back board hingedly connected to the base and arranged when extended to support the base in an inclined position and when retracted to fold down over the pockets.

HARRY T. HIPWELL. 

